This application is a reissue of application Ser. No. 07/810,220, filed Dec. 19, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,056. A continuation of this reissue application, Ser. No. 08/749,390, has been filed on Nov. 7, 1996, and is now abandoned.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to retractable awnings and more particularly to a retractable awning for use on a slide-out unit of a mobile home, recreational vehicle or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many relatively new mobile homes, recreational vehicles or the like are provided with a large rectangular opening in one side wall thereof in which a box-like enclosure commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9cslide-out unitxe2x80x9d is disposed for slidable movement between a retracted and extended position. When the slide-out unit is extended, it forms a perpendicular extension from the side wall of the mobile home, thereby enlarging the internal usable space. When the unit is retracted, it is drawn into the interior of the mobile home, and the unit is normally only retracted when the mobile home is transported. When the slide-out unit is retracted, an outer wall of the slide-out unit, which is parallel with the side wall in which the unit is mounted, becomes coplanar with the side wall. One problem with slide-out units has resided in the fact that debris such as leaves, blowing trash and the like will frequently collect on the top of the slide-out unit while the unit is extended, and when the unit is retracted into the interior of the mobile home, the debris is also brought into the interior.
It should also be noted that the outer wall of slide-out units frequently has a window therein, and it is sometimes desirable to provide a retractable awning for the window. While retractable awnings are available which may be used for such windows, they are limited in use to providing protection only for such window.
It is to overcome the above-noted problems inherent with slide-out units and to provide a retractable awning for a window in the slide-out unit that the present invention has been made.
The retractable awning of the present invention is adapted to be mounted on the outer wall of a slide-out unit in a mobile home, recreational vehicle or the like and is designed to not only be operatively associated with a window provided in the outer wall but to also cover the top of the slide-out unit to prevent the accumulation of debris.
The retractable awning includes an awning sheet having inner and outer edges that are parallel to each other with the inner edge being secured to the side wall of the mobile home or the like immediately above the slide-out unit. The outer edge of the awning sheet is secured to a roll bar about which the awning sheet can be wrapped. The roll bar is in turn rotatably supported at opposite ends by support arms which are pivotally mounted on the outer wall of the slide-out unit. The roll bar is torsionally biased to urge the awning into a retracted position wherein the support arms extend substantially vertically up the outer wall of the slide-out unit and wherein the roll bar itself is positioned immediately adjacent to the outer wall.
It will be appreciated from the following detailed description that even when the awning is retracted with the roll bar adjacent to the outer wall of the slide-out unit, the awning sheet still extends across the top of the slide-out unit to prevent the accumulation of debris thereon. When it is desired to extend the awning so that it provides shade over a window in the outer wall, the support arms are merely pivoted outwardly so as to extend the awning sheet at an angle away from the outer wall and in overlying relationship with the window. A tie-down strap connected to the roll bar has an opposite end that is releasably securable to the outer wall of the slide-out unit beneath the window so that the tie-down strap can counteract the bias of the roll bar to retain the awning in an extended position.
It is important to note that, whether or not the awning is extended or retracted, the awning sheet remains in overlying relationship with the top of the slide-out unit to prevent the accumulation of debris thereon. Further, due to the torsional bias on the roll bar, as the slide-out unit is retracted, the awning sheet will automatically wrap around the roll bar.
Other aspects, features and details of the present invention can be more completely understood by reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the drawings, and from the appended claims.